Green Mountain Power has a new tool to help expedite repairs

Green Mountain Power has a new tool to help expedite repairs during widespread outages that officials say will end up keeping the cost down for ratepayers. The destructive storms that have wrought havoc on Vermont this summer highlight what experts say is the kind of extreme weather the state is likely to see in the future. And Green Mountain Power, the state’s largest utility, is preparing by taking to the air. GMP officials Thursday launched one of six new drones near a substation in the Royalton-Bethel area. Since the beginning of the year, the power company has conducted more than 150 flights, most following strong storms that knocked out power to thousands. The drones give power crews a birds-eye view of the damage before making repairs. Roughly 80 percent of GMP’s lines are in rural, hard-to-reach areas. The drones also provide important safety information for line workers. In addition to the drones, GMP is also burying lines and increasing energy storage capacity. Power crews say restoration times are sped up by hours if not days. Because of that, GMP is considering expanding its drone fleet to all 15 districts in the state.